Friday, October 01, 2004

Debate Antics

I surprised myself by watching part of last night's Presidential debate. I generally avoid such things, as I find them pointless. The questions are pre-selected, the stage set - there is no true debate in my book. However, I was glad I watched it. I saw it from about 9:10pm to 10pm, EST. I was shocked to hear conservatives complaining today about Bush's responses, though I am to understand their major complaints come from the last portion, which I did not see. The portion I did see was fantastic. Bush was direct, full of fire, and had no problem answering Kerry's challenges. My only complaint was how often Bush repeated himself, but then again, what else was there to say? Kerry sounded like a foolish child trying to stick to his story about how a UFO broke the next-door-neighbor's window, and not his baseball. The war is clearly the selling point on this election, and how anyone could vote for Kerry after his clear condemnation and humiliation of troops last night....I loved it when President Bush pointed out that Kerry had no chance of gaining support with world leaders when he negates the contribution of the very allies we have. Who would want to work with Kerry, when even he himself doesn't believe in this war?
It made me proud to be an American....and surprisingly, I found myself even more impressed with Bush. I've never been a fan of his, though I do appreciate him on the war. His warmth, his frustration, his impatience to refute the insults and fabrications being flung at him....it made him real. Kerry's smugness, odd smiles, and insincerity in response to Bush painted him in nearly the same light as his wife: cold, brittle, with no substance. Bush was direct, thought out his points, and when he did trip up on what he was saying, you saw him stop, and start again - just like anyone would. How anyone could vote for Kerry after watching his incapability last night - it is beyond me.